Self-contained panel signal and control



May 23, 1961 a. l. WILLIAMS SELF-CONTAINED PANEL SIGNAL AND CONTROLFiled Nov. 14, 1958 m 5 L E 2 I w M F a h a 2 y m m a B E %\W\ a S l l mN z f I m ill! B 5 ll r I F u I z i I III M W 5 3 N F 4; mm 9 a, 4

FIG! l L m Q 2f 25' 26 Jrraawsy United States Patent OfFiceSELF-CONTAINED PANEL SIGNAL AND CONTROL Gerald 1. Williams, St. Paul,Minn., assignor to Transistor Electronics Corporation, Minneapolis,Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Nov. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 773,962Claims. (Cl. 340-381) This invention relates to panel signals, and moreparticularly to a panel-mounted unit which has a lamp and controlmembers contained within itself.

It has been customary in the such as lights in a panel board which areresponsive to energization from the chassis of an associated electricalapparatus having resistors, electron tubes, and other electricalelements. Such apparatus, by way of example, includes computers, dataprocessers, signal systems, keyboard equipment and automatic controldew'ces. Aside from the problem of complexity arising from remotelyinterconnected parts, the electrical current and voltages required tooperate the signals themselves may be of higher values relative to thosein the main chassis. Thus, in those devices where the control system forthe lamps are in the chassis, there is likelihood of disruption anddamage to the lower voltage circuit systems should they become shortcircuited.

It is within the contemplation of this invention and a general objectthereof to provide a self-contained signal and control assemblage forpanel mounting which is compact and reduces the complexity of circuitscontained within the chassis.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a panel lightassemblage which has its high voltage operating circuits within thepanel-mounted assemblage with only the small voltage control circuitextending to the delicate portions of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a small panel-mountedlight assemblage wherein a lamp and transistor element will be containedwithin a simple casing, a mounting card within the casing serving toinsulate certain wires from each other and render them collectively apart of the mounted structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a light assemblageof the class described wherein a small board or card is provided withopenings so that circuit wires interconnecting terminals with elementssuch as resistors, transistors and lights may pass through the openingsand contribute to a small and compact association of electrical partsheld structurally together without screws, rivets, clips or otherindependent fasteners.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assemblage of the classdescribed wherein a lamp is mounted at one end, the terminals at theother, and the remainder of the parts being mounted on a dielectric cardwithout the aid of fasteners, the entire assemblage being supportedadditionally by a shrunken sleeve element having dielectric properties.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fullyappear from the following description, made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my self-contained panel signal andcontrol, the panel being shown segmentally in cross section;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the assemblage past to providesignals 2,985,874 Patented May 23, 1961 taken on the line 2-2 of Figure1, the internal portions being shown in full line representation;

Figure 3 is a section taken at the terminal end of the assemblage on theline 3-3 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the insert assembly alone, thesleeve casing being shown in cross section;

Figure 5 is another view of the insert assembly taken from the right inFigure 4, the sleeve casing being cut away in vertical section; and

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit connecting thelamp and control elements.

With continued reference to the drawing, my selfcontained panel signaland control comprises generally a casing 10 and an insert assembly 11contained compactly within the housing 10, as shown in Fig. 2. Thehousing itself is cylindrical in character, having an externally reducedforward portion 12 which is threaded at 13 to receive a knurled nut 14for securing the housing within an opening 15 formed in panel 16.

Internally of the housing 10 is a main cylindrical bore 17 which extendslongitudinally of the cylinder and connects with bore 1 8 having reduceddiameter and extending through the forward end to retain a transparentcap 19. The rearward end of the casing 10 is open and the internaldiameter at the rearmost end is increased to form an annular internalgroove 20, as shown in Fig. 2.

The insert assembly 11 is shown in enlarged view in Figs. 4 and 5, andcomprises a forward electrical signal such as lamp 21 and a rearwardterminal cap 22 which in turn retains the terminal contacts 23, 24, 25and 26 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The terminals 23-26 may be providedwith sockets 27, each of which can receive a terminal prong 28, as shownin Fig. 3. Between the lamp 21 and terminal cap 22 is positioned anapertured dielectric mounting card 29, as shown more particularly inFigs. 4 and 5. The mounting card 29 is preferably dielectric in natureso as to assist in maintaining the various electrical elements ininsulated condition. The mounting card 29 has a plurality of openings orapertures formed therethrough, the instant disclosure utilizing seven,three of which are designated 30, 31 and 32, at the upper portion of themounting card 29, and 33, 34, 35 and 36 at the lower portion thereof.

It is contemplated that at least one electrical circuit element beassociated with the mounting card 29 and, for purposes of illustratingthe present invention, one transistor element 37 and three resistorelements 38, 39 and 40 are shown, the arrangement being such that thetransistor is mounted at one side of the mounting card 29 and theresistors are mounted at the other, as shown in Fig. 4.

Various wire leads connecting the terminals 23-26 with the lamp 21 andother electrical circuit elements 37-40 are laced in and out of themounting card apertures 30-36 in such a manner as to effect the desiredcircuits and, at the same time, firmly mount the entire assemblagetogether without the use of independent fasteners. A specific typicalcircuit application is as follows: Terminal 23 connects with lead 41which extends upwardly into lamp element 21, return lead 42 extendingdownwardly from lamp 21 and passing through the opening 31 and issecured to the ends of the two wires 43 and 44, as shown in Fig. 5. Theends of wires 43 and 44 extend through opening 30 and are bent upwardlyto maintain their position in the opening 30. The wire 43 connects withthe resistor 40 which, in turn, has another wire lead 45 connecting withthe terminal 24, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the lead 45 being woven backthrough opening 33 of the mounting card 29 before it is secured to itsterminal. The wire 44 which was mutually secured to wires 43 and 42connects with the resistor 39 which, in turn, has a wire 46 extendingreversely through the hole 34 in the mounting card 29 and being bent atits end portion to form a holding structure. Wire 47 is connected tothewire '46 and extends reaiwardly of the mounting card 29, as viewed inFig. 5. It then connects with transistor terminal 48 which passesthrough the mounting card 29.

Terminal 25 has a wire 49 which passes through opening 35 in themounting card 29 and extends upwardly to connect with the transistorterminal 50 which, in turn, extends rearwardly through the mounting card29. The terminal 26 connects with wire 51 which passes through theopening 36 in card 29 and provides one terminal of the resistor 38, asshown in Fig. 2. Another conducting Wire "52 extends from the resistor38 and terminates with the short end extending through the opening 32 inmounting card 29. Connected to the wire 52 before it passes throughopening 32 is a short wire 53 which connects with the remainingtransistor terminal 54 which extends through the mounting card 29 as inthe case of the other transistor terminals.

The circuit application illustrated utilizes a 3.0 volt signal swing atterminal 26 which, in turn, is connected in series to the resistor 38providing a resistance of 22 K. A negative direct current voltage of 200volts is applied to terminal 24 which, in turn, is connected in seriesto resistor 40 which is rated at 330 K. This series circuit includes thelight 21 and terminal 23. A parallel circuit exists from the resistor 40through resistor 39 to transistor terminal 48. Resistor 39 is rated at100 K. It will of course be understood that terminal 25 is common to theinput circuit and terminal 23 is common to the output circuit and forsome applications may be connected together. With the foregoing circuitapplication, the lamp will glow at a positive swing of l to volts. Thelamp extinguishes at a negative swing of 2.5 volts. Numerous othercircuits and element ratings Will suggest themselves to the user whilepreserving the miniature character of the panel-mounted unit. If itbecomes necessary to repair or replace any of the parts of the insertassembly, the terminal cap 22 may be simply removed from the shoulderedend portion 20 of housing 10 and the entire assemblage and its componentparts are immediately exposed to view.

I have found that additional structural strength and insulation safetycan be eifected by shrinking a plastic sleeve 55 about the entire insertassembly, leaving the cap terminal exposed at its rearmost portion andthe lamp 21 at its forwardmost portion.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangements and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

l. A panel indicator unit comprising: a housing adapted to be secured toa panel and encase said indicator; an electric lamp mounted in saidhousing and having an externally visible portion; a mounting card formechanically supporting said lamp; a control element having an inputadapted for connection to a control voltage, and an output adapted forconnection to a supply voltage through said electric lamp, said controlelement being attached to said mounting card; and a plug having aplurality of terminals adapted for external connection which areconnected to said control element, said plug supporting said mountingcard and sealing said housing.

2. Theinvention as set forth in claim 1 including a shrink fitdielectric plastic ,sleeve formed tightly and rigidly about said controlelement and said mounting card to provide support and insulationthereto.

3. An indicator for use'with bi-stable circuits comprising: a housinghaving a flange member to secure said housing to a :panel and encase'theinternal elements therein; a transistor having first, second, and thirdelements for amplifying input signals and producing output signalsrepresentative thereof; input means connected to said first and secondelements for receiving said input signals; a neon-indicatinglamp having:apredetermined voltage level cut off; output means including'means forconnecting said lamp and a supply voltage between said third and secondelements; and a plug closing said housing having a plurality ofterminals adapted-for external connection which areconnectedto saidtransistor and said input and output means. I

4. An in'dicator for use with computer circuits comprising; a housinghaving a flange member to secure said housing to a 'panel'and encase theinternal elements therein; a transistorhavingbase, emitter,and-collector ele- "ments 'for amplifying input signals and producingoutput signals representative thereof; input means connected to saidbase and emitter elements for receiving said input having apredetermined voltage'level'cut off; voltage conducting means forconnecting a voltage supply 'todri-ve said neon lamp; output meansconnecting said lamp between-said voltage conducting means and saidcollector element and further connecting said'voltage conducting meansto said emitter "element; and a plug having a plurality of terminalsadapted for'external connection which are connected to said input meansand said output means, said plug supporting said transistor and saidinput and output means and-sealing said housing.

5. Theinvention as set forth in claim 4 wherein said output meansconnects said lamp as well as said voltage conducting meansbetween saidcollector and emitter elements of said transistor.

References Cited in thefile of this .patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,072,635 Helgason et al May 2,1937 2,334,579 Powell Nov. 16, 19432,575,821 Linton Nov. 20, 1951 2,585,794 Kurshan Feb. 12, 1952 2,647,222Nieset July 28, 1953 2,740,111 'Bogue et a1 Mar. 27, 1956 2,847,559Harrington et a1 Aug. 12, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 889,620 Germany Sept. 10,1953

